Listening to ATC comms - United channel 9
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Listening to ATC comms - United channel 9
As a frequent piece of SLF, as well as someone who knows a bit more than nothing (but much less than a licensed pilot) about flying, I enjoy listening in to Channel 9 of the SLF 'in flight' entertainment when flying the 'Friendly Skies'. For those unfamiliar with this, channel 9 on UA allows SLF like myself to listen in to the ATC communications, probably fixed on COM1 as you never hear the ATIS etc.
How do the UK licensing regulations affect that? As noted in the sticky in this forum? Can we legally publish information on the forum obtained through enjoying this 'in flight' channel if it took place in UK airspace?
In the good 'ol US of A I witnessed a very interesting moment through channel 9, with a pilot (fortunately not flying my jet but worryingly close behind given the relative timing of the handoffs) asking ATC for the baseball scores when checking in to a new center, with what to my ears was an increasing level of anxiety in their voice to be in the know. I recall cringing and in my SLF/one time student pilot opinion thought it might be better if this pilot had thrown a sicky and let someone else fly that night, and stayed home to watch the game.
On short final into the airport, and already cleared to land, the tower asked if the same pilot had the airport in sight. This seemed an unusual question to ask a commercial jet on final for a visual approach. I think this was a well phrased, polite, but leading question. The pilot (who seemed to be at about 1600 feet AGL I found when I got home - don't you just love the internet?) reported they had 'temporarilly lost sight of it' and ATC imediately but politely told the flight to "go around" and make a left turn/climb.
Seemed like some good radio-comms karma to me, but it was rather worrying that visual contact was lost with the runway at such an altitude (while we were on short final ourselves) and I don't know the cause of the jets crew losing the runway, or if we were ever in any danger. Thank goodness the tower did not lose sight of the aircraft, and seemingly decided it was not safe for it to continue its approach.
That's all.
How do the UK licensing regulations affect that? As noted in the sticky in this forum? Can we legally publish information on the forum obtained through enjoying this 'in flight' channel if it took place in UK airspace?
In the good 'ol US of A I witnessed a very interesting moment through channel 9, with a pilot (fortunately not flying my jet but worryingly close behind given the relative timing of the handoffs) asking ATC for the baseball scores when checking in to a new center, with what to my ears was an increasing level of anxiety in their voice to be in the know. I recall cringing and in my SLF/one time student pilot opinion thought it might be better if this pilot had thrown a sicky and let someone else fly that night, and stayed home to watch the game.
On short final into the airport, and already cleared to land, the tower asked if the same pilot had the airport in sight. This seemed an unusual question to ask a commercial jet on final for a visual approach. I think this was a well phrased, polite, but leading question. The pilot (who seemed to be at about 1600 feet AGL I found when I got home - don't you just love the internet?) reported they had 'temporarilly lost sight of it' and ATC imediately but politely told the flight to "go around" and make a left turn/climb.
Seemed like some good radio-comms karma to me, but it was rather worrying that visual contact was lost with the runway at such an altitude (while we were on short final ourselves) and I don't know the cause of the jets crew losing the runway, or if we were ever in any danger. Thank goodness the tower did not lose sight of the aircraft, and seemingly decided it was not safe for it to continue its approach.
That's all.
Last edited by 4potflyer; 3rd Oct 2006 at 04:40.
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G'day, I frequently fly to the US and occasionally need to take a domestic flight on United -- just week before last flying from ORD to SJC I learned about "Channel 9" audio -- I really enjoyed listening to all the comms between Chicago and San Jose as we were cleared to and though various levels and blocks of airspace, and given the odd vector as well as deviations due to turbulence etc.
I don't get to fly (as a pilot) as often in the US, so I really enjoyed hearing how "the system" works over there. Anyone studying for an IR would benefit from just hearing the traffic for famil. purposes!
But I have not come across this on any other airline anywhere else in the world. Even on United it is at pilot's discretion. Not sure there is a UK regulatory reason to block this as United provide the facility in UK airspace as well: e.g. see this man's blog re- a United flight diverted to Cardiff when Heathrow was fogged: http://www.johnniemoore.com/blog/archives/001127.php
Andy
I don't get to fly (as a pilot) as often in the US, so I really enjoyed hearing how "the system" works over there. Anyone studying for an IR would benefit from just hearing the traffic for famil. purposes!
But I have not come across this on any other airline anywhere else in the world. Even on United it is at pilot's discretion. Not sure there is a UK regulatory reason to block this as United provide the facility in UK airspace as well: e.g. see this man's blog re- a United flight diverted to Cardiff when Heathrow was fogged: http://www.johnniemoore.com/blog/archives/001127.php
Andy
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so how do they deal with any phrases such as 'may day' and 'avoiding action' being transmitted.
personally thats the last thing id want to hear when leaving the confines of the london tma for my sunny hols away from anything ATC.....
ignorance is bliss.
personally thats the last thing id want to hear when leaving the confines of the london tma for my sunny hols away from anything ATC.....
ignorance is bliss.
